NIGERIA: Kenneth Okonkwo Dumps Labour Party, Cites Leadership Crisis, 2027 Election Concerns

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria  

Veteran Nollywood actor and former spokesperson of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has officially resigned from the party, citing leadership failures and internal crises that he believes render LP unprepared for the 2027 general elections.

Okonkwo announced his resignation in a press statement on Tuesday, emphasizing that his political journey is driven by a commitment to good governance, a goal he no longer sees as achievable within the Labour Party.

“My entrance into politics is for good governance, and I will continue to work for it to ensure that Nigeria becomes a great country of incorruptible men. This aim can no longer be realized within Labour Party as presently constituted” he stated.”

The former LP campaign spokesperson accused the party of failing to establish a functional leadership structure, highlighting that the tenure of its leadership had long expired without a legally recognized national convention.

He also pointed to ongoing litigation battles as obstacles preventing the party from moving forward.

Okonkwo took direct aim at Julius Abure, the embattled National Chairman of LP, accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over the party’s future.

He noted that despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refusing to recognize Abure’s leadership, the party remains entangled in legal disputes that have stalled its progress.

“The former National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, and his former National Working Committee, having conducted no national convention known to law, according to INEC, means there’s no effective leadership of Labour Party at the national level,” Okonkwo asserted.

He also criticized the party for failing to reclaim its lost seats as elected members continue to defect to other parties, yet engaging in relentless court battles to maintain control over LP’s leadership.

Okonkwo expressed disappointment that the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, legally established by LP’s National Executive Council (NEC) to reorganize the party and conduct a convention within six months, has been unable to function due to legal roadblocks.

“It’s more than six months after the inauguration of the committee, and the committee has not even taken off,” he said, accusing political “jobbers” of intentionally using litigation to stall LP until the 2027 elections.

Okonkwo confirmed that his resignation will take effect from February 25, 2025, exactly two years after the 2023 presidential election.

He signaled his readiness to join another political platform, aligning with individuals who share his vision for governance.

“After February 25, I will be at liberty to join other well-meaning and like-minded Nigerians in charting a great future of good governance for this great country blessed by God,” he stated.